this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2023
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Work Reform

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As part of his Labor Day message to workers in the United States, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday re-upped his call for the establishment of a 20% cut to the workweek with no loss in pay—an idea he said is "not radical" given the enormous productivity gains over recent decades that have resulted in massive profits for corporations but scraps for employees and the working class.

"It's time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay," Sanders wrote in a Guardian op-ed as he cited a 480% increase in worker productivity since the 40-hour workweek was first established in 1940.

"It's time," he continued, "that working families were able to take advantage of the increased productivity that new technologies provide so that they can enjoy more leisure time, family time, educational and cultural opportunities—and less stress."

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[–] zabadoh@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I can only see this happening hand in hand with Medicare For All and the decoupling of healthcare from full time employment.

Service jobs, which are currently 80 percent of US employment, require the same amount of hours with actual people present, e.g. you can't wait more tables, or answer more customer service calls, in 20% less time.

Removing the cost of healthcare from employers will allow them to allocate some of the savings towards employee salaries instead of healthcare insurance.

[–] Mandarbmax@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Allow them to allocate some of the savings towards employee salaries? Why would they do that when they could pocket the difference like they have been doing to all other cost savings and productivity boosts?

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[–] Malfeasant@lemm.ee 6 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Nobody is saying you should have to do 40 hours work in 32 hours - rather the company hires more people to cover those hours.

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[–] PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee 9 points 2 years ago (34 children)

I would absolutely love to only work 32 hours a week instead of 40, 45 or 50.

I would also love four weeks vacation a year, full healthcare coverage and a unicorn in my backyard please.

[–] reversedposterior@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

I have basically this in the UK

[–] dangblingus@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Some of those things are possible. Why not try to get them?

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[–] SCB@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Fun fact: government-based healthcare of any sort is great for employers and employees, and results in more money for both

This assumes a "worst-case implementation" resulting in UK level taxes and just a change to who manages insurance/payment, and is true for both a public option and single-payer system.

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